Feed Advisers Help UK Egg Industry Reduce Carbon Footprints

Since its launch in 2013, more than 1,000 feed advisers from across the UK and Ireland have joined, including representatives from Trouw Nutrition.

Jim Uprichard, Trouw Nutrition sustainability manager, said the register provided him with a clearer understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and helped reduce the carbon footprint per kg of eggs, while also strengthening relationships with retail customers.

Having worked as a commercial nutritionist with the company since 1991, for the past 3 years he has been working with feed mills, processors, and farmers to calculate carbon footprints and develop mitigation strategies across different species.

Measuring On-Farm Footprints

In recent years, the egg industry has been asked by its retail customers to provide Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, measured as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e), for their eggs. The industry has also been required to identify ways to reduce these emissions.

Working closely with key egg packers, feed compounders, and the Trouw poultry nutrition team, Jim calculated a baseline for GHG emissions from egg production. This included both the carbon footprint of the feed and emissions generated on-farm.

Cutting Emissions Without Cutting Profits

By improving understanding of the feed raw material supply chain and the nutritional impact of these materials, the team was able to reduce the carbon footprint per kg of eggs.

This was achieved by lowering the use of high-CO₂e raw materials, reducing the overall crude protein content of diets, and improving feed conversion efficiency (FCE).

Importantly, these changes were delivered while maintaining bird health and productivity. This gave both egg processors and farmers confidence that reducing GHG emissions could be achieved without compromising profitability.

Reassurance Across the Supply Chain

Jim says the Feed Adviser Register (FAR) provides reassurance to different parts of the agri-food industry that the advice given by feed advisers is supported by a recognised qualification.

As research and development continue to introduce new approaches and solutions, the FAR programme helps ensure that feed advisers remain up to date.

This, in turn, gives confidence to customers and the wider food industry that the supply chain can support farmers in meeting environmental, social, and economic sustainability challenges — going beyond basic feeding recommendatio